


Nightmares, Wounds, and Balconies

by Malec_Lover23



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec Lightwood Loves Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood Needs A Hug, Caring Magnus Bane, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Hurt Alec Lightwood, Hurt Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane Loves Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Protective Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:41:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23504005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malec_Lover23/pseuds/Malec_Lover23
Summary: Kind of a sequel to Nightmares, Tea, and PromisesI know Max did not die in the show but when I was writing I just saw this playing out with Matt as Alec and Harry as Magnus. Do with that what you will!
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 5
Kudos: 65





	Nightmares, Wounds, and Balconies

**Author's Note:**

> Please stay safe, healthy, happy, and indoors <3   
> Come say hi and talk on tumblr and wattpad Malec_Lover23

Alec wakes up at once, feeling sun on his face, warm and comforting. He feels grass beneath his body, curling him in a protective embrace that makes him want to go back to sleep.

It's odd to just wake up in a field, but a rare tranquility is embedded in Alec's bones so deep that Alec pays no mind to the small inkling of doubt that causes him to pause for a moment. 

The only time he ever feels this peaceful is with Magnus, his one and only love. Alec turns his head to see if Magnus is around him, for this utopia would be perfect if Alec found Magnus' beautiful cat eyes staring back at him. 

Instead, he finds someone a bit more unexpected walking towards him. Small, thin stature, long runes running down his arms and neck, glasses perched on his nose. 

"Max?" Alec bolts up, jumping to his feet in one urgent movement. 

"Alec!" 

"Max!!" Alec runs to his baby brother and scoops him into a big hug. 

"By the Angel Max, I'm so happy to see you again!" 

After a few moments Alec sets Max back on his feet, smile as wide as the field around him. He's grown like his childhood was never abruptly stopped for a permanent trip to meet the angels. 

"I'm so sorry this had to happen Max. You know Izzy would have done anything to save you-" Max shakes his head and takes Alec's hand, his small one soothing Alec more than anyone else's could have. 

"It wasn't anyone's fault but Sebastian's. Or Jonathan's. I don't even know anymore." Max chuckles, making Alec loosen up a bit and crack a smirk. While Jonathan's reign on the Shadow world concluded a few years ago, whenever Alec and his siblings think about their dead brother it seems like it hadn't even ended. 

It ended in reality, but the memories never truly cease playing out in their heads. 

Just when Alec is pulled back out of the clouds Max's face begins to morph into a face much more unwelcoming, much more unpleasant. Alec gasps and reaches for his seraph blade, that is not against his thigh like it normally is. 

His angelic reflexes fail him as he feels paralyzed, glued in place as Jonathan reveals himself. 

"I know how to use shapeshifting runes Alexander Gideon Lightwood. I also know how to kill Shadowhunters too, considering I killed your dumbass of a brother. And now you'll follow in his legacy!" 

Alec doesn't feel the blade stab his side, he doesn't feel the pain fly through his body, he doesn't hear Jonathan's voice anymore, for its fading away. 

He bursts up in bed, almost knocking someone in the head but soon realizing where he is, and who is beside him. 

"It's just a dream Alec, you're with me." Alec's eyes adjust in the dark and he looks up to see Magnus. 

Magnus gently takes Alec's hands off of where he was clutching his side, trying to stop the blood coming out of his nonexistent stab wound. 

"Alexander, you are okay. You are okay." Magnus hands graze his cheek, his lips, his forehead, attempting to calm Alec in a way that words can't. 

Slowly but surely, Alec's heartbeat calms to a strong pulse, his breathing becomes more elongated instead of quick, his mind clears the fog. 

"Magnus?" Alec whispers pitifully, like a disoriented child who just recognized his parents. 

"Alexander, oh darling." Magnus opens his arms and Alec jumps into the welcoming embrace. Alec clutches onto Magnus' shirt, desperate for something tangible to ground him back to reality. Jonathan's face is still plastered in his mind, the cool blade is still hanging from his side, the blood is still pouring from the wound. 

"Breathe, Alec you need to breathe. Here, I'll count to seven and you breathe with me. Ready?" 

Alec hysterically nods but keeps his eyes trained on Magnus' face as he coaches him through breathing. Soon enough Alec has his breath back and a wave of exhaustion hits him. He leans his sweaty forehead against Magnus' shoulder. 

"I'm so sorry this shook you up so much. Would you like to tell me what happened?" 

"I'm just so tired Magnus" Alec moans, squeezing his eyes shut, willing the horrid images to stop replaying. 

"I know darling, I know. I do, you know I have nightmares all the time" Magnus soothes, running his hand through Alec's messy hair. "You can't get the image out of your head, you're drained but can't even imagine shutting your eyes to sleep again." 

Alec nods and presses his head into Magnus chest further. "I'm right here, love. I'm not going anywhere. Whatever you need from me." Magnus gently lulls Alec to a calmer, more subconscious state. 

Just as Magnus thinks the Shadowhunter exhausted himself back to sleep, Alec whispers his name in the silence. "Magnus?" 

Magnus hums in reply, gently cupping Alec's cheek.

"Can we have tea on the balcony?" Magnus nods and makes the tea with a flick of his wrist.

"Come on, darling." Magnus softly exchanges a kiss with Alec and pulls him to the balcony. 

Alec loves being outside, it naturally calms him. Even if the busy New York life is below him, he still feels safer with the cool air against his skin and Magnus' presence beside him.   
Magnus grabs the blanket hanging from the love seat and takes it outside with them.

Magnus sits on the couch and Alec curls up beside him, murmuring a quiet thank you.

"It was Max. He...I...it's always Max." Alec shakes his head and presses his forehead further into Magnus' chest, hoping it will erase the lasting image of his baby brother.   
"I know. I know. I'm right here." A few minutes pass of Magnus whispering sweet nothings to Alec, yearning to rid his boyfriend of the past hour. 

"Sometimes dreams have a way of slipping into our subconscious, especially when you're not prepared for them. I still dream of things that happened literally centuries ago, yet they are still buried under my subconscious. While what happened to your brother happened years ago, it's still fresh in your mind. Nightmares seem to plague our mind when we're just starting to get back into a normal routine after trauma. I can't cure it, or make it stop, but I'll be there through whatever happens. You can't refuse to sleep, but it'll get better, and I'll be there to wake you up every night if need be." Alec sniffles and grips Magnus' arm, pulling him closer so his cheek is resting on his collarbone.

"Remember what you said to me a while back when I dreamt of my father?" Alec nods his head. 

"You told me that while the past is prominent, the present is reality. We can't change our past but the present is a gift. I know this isn't easy, and it never will be, especially after a dream; however, Alexander, you have the power to remember the good memories you have of your brother. You've told me yourself, there are so many things you and him have done that get you through the bad days. Hmm?" Alec nods again and cuddles closer to Magnus. 

"I love you so much, you're going to get through this." 

"With you I will." Alec responds, sleep slurring his words, but they still strike Magnus in his heart. He kisses Alec's head and pulls him closer. 

Nightmares be damned if they bother his Alexander again tonight.


End file.
